186: Reintroducing Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey

Our guest is Bruce Joseph, Master Distiller of Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey for Hotaling & Co.  Bruce previously appeared back in Episode 74 (circa June 2020), but he’s back with his unique malted rye whiskey and it is now bearing a higher age statement and some killer new packaging.  The malted rye mashbill is pot distilled in San Francisco and admittedly is one of the most unique whiskies we’ve tried during this podcast’s history. If you want to flex your palate and see what else is out there in craft whiskey, we highly recommend you find a bottle of Old Potrero’s 6 year aged stated Straight Rye Whiskey.  

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From their June 2022 Press Release:

Hotaling & Co. is proud to announce the relaunch of the legendary whiskey brand, Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey, credited as the first American Craft Whiskey to hit the market since prohibition. The Old Potrero relaunch will feature new packaging and bottle design geared towards today’s contemporary whiskey drinker, who appreciates an excellent dram with an iconic heritage and a modern-day appeal.

Originally created by Fritz Maytag, the beverage visionary and founder of Hotaling & Co., (formerly Anchor Distilling Co.), Old Potrero Rye Whiskey is a bold homage to the original artisanal whiskies of America, a testament to the power of the pioneering spirit and the celebrated return of pot-distilled whiskey in the United States. Since 1994, the whiskey has been distilled in small copper pot stills at the San Francisco-based distillery, and in 2010 was passed down to current Master Distiller, Bruce Joseph, who has worked alongside Fritz since the first barrels were laid in the early 90’s.

“We are thrilled to usher Old Potrero into a new era,” says Master Distiller, Bruce Joseph. "With the same bold liquid within, Old Potrero’s new packaging and bottle embody the boldness of its home-base, San Francisco. A city that’s resilient, creative and richly historic, just like Old Potrero.”

The new packaging redesign, created by design agency Stranger & Stranger, features a dark wooden top with a natural cork stopper stamped with Old Potrero branding for a premium craft feel. The bottle’s perforated edges and ticket-style copy holding devices connect back to the historic cable cars of San Francisco. And the new label features the same copper pot still used at the distillery since its inception as well as one of the world’s most celebrated and iconic sights – The Golden Gate Bridge. The font, Fog City Gothic, is used throughout the label as a nod to the type used on signage seen throughout San Francisco.

“The bottle’s design was inspired by the juxtaposition of San Francisco’s architecture, between the past and the present,” says Luis Rivas Ball, Senior Brand Lead American Whiskeys at Hotaling and Co. “From the perforated edges and ticket-style holding devices that connect back to the cable cars to the copper pot still and Golden Gate Bridge in the logo, Old Potrero is a true representation of San Francisco.”

Although the brand is launching a bold and eye-catching new design, what’s inside will remain unchanged – the same award winning 100% malted rye whiskey, now aged longer for added smoothness and complexity. Highlights on the Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey 6 years-old and the Old Potrero Old Single Barrel 100% Malted Rye Whiskey are as follows:

• Old Potrero Straight Rye Whiskey 6-Year-Old (SRP $64.99) marked the official return of pot distilled rye whiskey to the US. Distilled from a 100% malted rye mash bill in the same copper post still since the 1990’s, the liquid is then matured in new, charred, 24-month air dried, extra-fine grain, American white oak barrels for a minimum of six years. Tasting notes include brown sugar, black cherry, spice, and maple with a nutty finish, satisfying the enthusiast’ desire for bolder flavors and higher strength whiskeys.
• The Old Potrero Single Barrel Rye Whiskey (SRP $89.99) is aged in extra fine grain American Oak. The wood is air dried for 24 months and the barrels are fully toasted and charred by hand over an oak fire. The mash of 100% malted rye is fermented for four days and then double distilled in traditional copper pot whiskey stills. This expression is slated to debut in later 2022.

About Old Potrero

Old Potrero Rye Whiskey is a testament to the power of the pioneering spirit and the celebrated return of pot- distilled whiskey in the United States. Created by Fritz Maytag, the same beverage visionary who sparked the craft beer movement with his purchase of Anchor Brewing in 1965 and the founder of the original Anchor Distilling Co., now Hotaling & Co., Old Potrero is credited as the first American craft whiskey to hit the market since Prohibition. It is distilled in a small copper pot still at the Hotaling & Co. Distillery on San Francisco’s Potrero Hill Farm from a mash of 100% rye malt, with rye being the grain of choice for America’s first distillers.

About Hotaling & Co.

Hotaling & Co., the leading San Francisco importer & distiller, offers the finest curated portfolio of premium artisanal spirits including Luxardo Liqueurs, Nikka Whisky, Kavalan Whisky, HINE Cognac, Denizen Rum, and HIRSCH Selected Whiskeys. Hotaling & Co., originally named Anchor Distilling Company, was established in 1993 and is credited with releasing America’s first craft whiskey (Old Potrero) and American craft gin (Junipero Gin) after Prohibition. In 2010, Anchor Distilling Company was sold to a business partnership that included Tony Foglio and London's oldest wine and spirit merchant, Berry Bros. & Rudd and began expanding to incorporate a collection of super-premium artisanal spirits imported from around the world. In 2017, Anchor Distilling became Hotaling &Co. The new name is a nod to one of Anchor Distilling’s most beloved small batch whiskies (Old Potrero Hotaling’s Whiskey) and to the San Francisco legend A.P. Hotaling, who came out West during the Gold Rush and quickly became one of the most reputable spirits dealers in the country. Today, Hotaling & Co. celebrates exciting growth and achievements, marking its 26th year of distilling and its 10th year of commercially uniting artisan distillers from around the world and sharing their stories to discerning consumers. 

For more details about Old Potrero please visit OldPotrero.com or HotalingandCo.com.